smarter traveling, driving and spending
‘Tis the season to be jolly, and also to be victimized by holiday scams. Most scams are year-round, but the bad guys get especially active around the holidays because they think we are so busy looking for bargains that we won’t notice it’s a scam. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it
Read more
Holiday travel is the the peak travel season of the year, and even though many of the cheap seats are already booked, there are still ways to find them. Here are five ways to save money on your airline tickets and stretch your travel dollar. Plan Twice, Book Once – Airlines now charge $150 or
Read more
Scam Alert. Unfortunately, many cars and trucks flooded in hurricanes and other deep water disasters wind up for sale by unscrupulous dealers to unsuspecting customers. Here’s how to avoid getting soaked by buying a vehicle that is – simply – dangerous to drive.
Top scams targeting seniors include identify theft, sweepstakes, home repairs, romance and investments frauds. It used to be that holidays were the prime time for targeting the elderly, but now it’s year-round. Seniors lose an estimated $2.9 billion each year to financial scams, according to a recent Congressional report The vast majority of cases of
Read more
New York City is back on top of the tourism map, which means a lot of visitors are traveling between LaGuardia, JFK and Newark Liberty airports and Manhattan, and to NYC’s other boroughs, Brooklyn, Queens, Bronx and Staten Island. As a native and lifelong New Yorker, these are my recommendations for the most reliable and
Read more
Here’s what you need to know about the Macy’s Fourth of July Fireworks spectacular, including best places see it in person. For those of you who will be in my hometown for this annual event – Once again, more than 48,000 shells and effects will be launched from five barges on the East River, with
Read more
At least 14,000 domestic flights were cancelled or delayed over the recent Father’s Day-Juneteenth holiday weekend, and at least as many pieces of checked baggage were misdirected, delayed or lost. Staff shortages and bad weather are making a mess of summer airline travel, making it more important than ever to protect yourself with travel insurance.
Read more
Timeshares are big business. With many of us crunched for cash in these troubled times, selling your timeshare seems like a good way to help your budget, especially if you don’t use it as often as you expected. Timeshare exit scams also are big business, unfortunately filled with deceptive practices. Unscrupulous timeshare exit companies charge
Read more
April 15th will be here soon. The sooner you file, the sooner you can get a refund – except if you make mistakes on your return. Here are the five most common tax mistakes and how to avoid them. Use the correct tax form and filing status: Your filing status determines deductions, tax credits and
Read more
Warning about the fraudulent charities, creeps and con artists ready to take advantage of your willingness to help the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Here’s how to avoid being scammed, and ensure your donation goes to a legitimate charity.